September 11, 2006

SPRING BREAK OR JUST A VACATION--BE AWARE!

No matter what you think, you are NOT invincible. What happened to Natalee can happen to you...it doesn't matter if you are young or old, male or female. Today is a different day and age...we must protect ourselves and be completely aware of what is going on. Don't trust those you don't know and learn to be cynical about "nice strangers".



(Source)--When high school graduate Natalee Holloway disappeared on a trip to Aruba, the nation was put on high alert for danger for students on spring and summer break trips...what happened to Holloway is frightening, and students partaking in leisure trips of a similar nature are often fearful of likened dangers that may await them in their travels. However, what happened to her is preventable.


For starters, Holloway's friends allowed her to leave the bar with a group of local boys, all of which have been cleared of any wrongdoing.


One of the most important things to remember while on vacation is to always have a partner or group of friends to watch out for one another. It is also important never to be alone or allow a friend to go off with someone else that he or she does not know.


If Holloway's friends had insisted that she not go, or went with her when she left the bar, her disappearance could have easily been prevented.


Another way to stay safe is to always keep your beverages in sight, to prevent anyone from adding any harmful substances. Date rape drugs are prevalent in countries all over the world, but on spring break, where there are huge crowds all the time, it is much easier to slip something into a person's drink.


...Also, spring breakers often find themselves drinking not just at night in bars, but all day, as it is not uncommon for vacationers to sip drinks poolside, with lunch or while on the beach. Drinking for such a prolonged period of time, particularly when done all day without rest, is much more difficult to handle then just going to a bar for the night, which students' bodies might be more prepared to handle.


The Journal of American College Health recently released a study stating that the average female on spring break has 10 drinks a day, and the average male has 18. Studies suggest that a drinker consume water in between each alcoholic drink to prevent getting too inebriated too fast.


The dangers are real, but spring break should and can be a fun and relaxing time....but there are quieter and, often, safer retreats, such as spas in Arizona or camping in a national park.


Wherever you are traveling, it is additionally important to always have the emergency numbers on hand, especially if you are in a foreign country. Travelers should also have proper identification on hand at all times, but should try to leave their passports at the hotel in a locked box unless it is absolutely needed, since they make for popular thefts overseas. If you are traveling to a country where English is not the more common language, make sure you know key phrases in that country's language, such as how to ask where the airport, hotel or hospital is.


For many college students, spring break is a rite of passage. However, it needs to be viewed not as a 24-hour party, but a time to be safe and have fun, at the same time. Students do not need lectures and adults nagging them to be safe, but they do need to exercise caution and common sense. Sticking together, always keeping an eye on your drink and belongings and being aware of surroundings can make a big difference when it comes to being safe.



Entire Article Here

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aruba is a terrorist camp! Stay away!

Anonymous said...

Finally a VERY, VERY good blog.
Whatever happened to Natalee, could have bneen prevented. Not to speak the van der sloots and the Kalpoes free, but the fact that Natalee's companions didn't watch out for her better, and each other, was also part of the cause of her dissappearence. Keep spreading this post, since a lot of kids that dissappear in the US each year, might be helped by it.